Commentary and analysis on American politics, culture, and national identity, U.S. foreign policy and international relations, and the state of education
- from a neoconservative perspective! - Keeping an eye on the communist-left so you don't have to!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Eight years after being nominated for vice president at an exuberant Democratic convention, Joe Lieberman describes himself as so estranged from the party over the Iraq war and national security policy that he is committed to siding with Senate Democrats only "for now" as he campaigns for Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

In an interview in his Capitol Hill office, the Connecticut senator tapped by Al Gore as a running mate in 2000 says he hopes to persuade disaffected supporters of Hillary Rodham Clinton to back McCain. He's prepared to deliver a speech on his friend's behalf at the GOP convention in September.

Will he also attend the Democratic convention in August? "That could be dangerous," he says with a rueful laugh.

Elected to a fourth term in 2006 running as an independent, Lieberman has given Democrats majority control in the closely divided Senate by caucusing with them. Democrats kept him in his post atop the Homeland Security Committee.

Still, he's "not comfortable with any political party," he says, voting at times with Republicans, at times with Democrats.

"For now, I've decided to stay and fight for the kind of security policy, foreign policy that I think the party stood for when I joined in the '60s," Lieberman says. Asked if he plans to be a Democrat "forever," he replies, "You know, forever is a long time."

I think Lieberman's well-established disillusion with the Democrats, and especially the party's antiwar base, is one of the most powerful indicators of how far out of the mainstream the Democrats have moved.

See also, "Lieberman Derangement Syndrome."Question for Readers: Do you think Lieberman will have to retire from politics at the end of his current term, since on social policy he may not have a home in the GOP.